The high-profile spokesman for one of Quebec’s largest student federations has pleaded not guilty to a charge of contempt of court as government officials confirmed Premier Jean Charest has finally sat down and met student leaders.

Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois entered the plea today in a Quebec City courtroom. The charge stems from a complaint by Jean-Francois Morasse who alleges Nadeau-Dubois encouraged students to ignore a court injunction that paved the way for Morasse to return to class at Universite Laval in Quebec City.

The contempt-of-court case focuses on remarks Nadeau-Dubois made on television on May 13.

At the time, Nadeau-Dubois said it was legitimate for protesters to form picket lines to keep students who had obtained injunctions from getting to their classrooms.

Nadeau-Dubois is a co-spokesman for the CLASSE student group — the most radical of the province’s three main student associations.

On the 108th day of a student conflict creating social tensions in Quebec, government officials are confirming that Premier Jean Charest has finally sat down and spoke with student negotiators face to face.

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Charest took part in a discussion with student leaders for more than 50 minutes late Monday, government officials confirmed today.

It was an abrupt change in approach for a premier who had repeatedly resisted opposition calls to get personally involved in talks with students — and who had even avoided shaking the hand of student leaders during a recent event at the legislature.

The apparent thaw came as the government and protest leaders returned to the negotiating table Monday after a nearly one-month hiatus.

Talks were set to resume this afternoon in a bid to finally end months of disruption and nightly demonstrations. None of the media savvy student leaders would disclose the content of discussions held over eight hours on Monday.

Meanwhile, hardline student group CLASSE says Quebec City police must stop mass arrests, after two negotiators were reportedly among 84 people who were removed from outside the building where talks were held Monday.

Francis Vachon /AFP / GettyImages

Even a mascot in a banana costume was reportedly arrested; he was seen waving to the applauding crowd as he was dragged away by two officers.

Each of those arrested was fined nearly $500.

While riot police deployed in the provincial capital were kept busy after talks ended for the night, several demonstrations wound peacefully through the streets of Montreal, resulting in no arrests.

The evening started with a group of lawyers dressed in their courtroom gowns parading in silence from the city’s main courthouse through the streets of Old Montreal.

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In Quebec City, the head of the group representing college students left the Monday’s meeting unwilling to comment or provide any firm indication that progress had been made.

“You know that the climate is fragile with the government, if we can avoid things going badly tonight I think it’s in everybody’s interest,” Leo Bureau-Blouin told protesters before the police moved in.

It’s unknown what type of proposal Education Minister Michelle Courchesne presented on Monday to end the crisis.

The stalemate began in mid-February with students upset with the government’s decision to hike tuition fees by $325 a year over five years, a move that would bring annual fees to about $3,800 in 2017.

The government later offered to spread the hikes out over seven years — an annual increase of $254 —but that was also rejected.

This isn’t the first time the two sides have negotiated — another session in early May ended with a deal that was eventually rejected by student assemblies.

The two sides were driven even further apart on May 18 when the government passed Bill 78, legislation aimed at controlling the protests.

The move appears to have backfired, however. Festive and largely peaceful demonstrations have spread to other cities — in some cases even outside Quebec and Canada.

Students said they expected the government to retreat on tuition fees and on the emergency law, Bill 78.

But the young leaders said they wouldn’t feel pressured this time to accept a deal following all-night negotiating sessions that could ultimately be rejected by voters at student assemblies.

As they resume negotiations today, protesters in Ottawa are set to lend their voices of support to Quebec students.

Joining major student organizations will be the Public Service Alliance of Canada, the Canadian Auto Workers’ union and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers.

The 6 p.m. gathering starting at Ottawa’s Confederation Park this evening will precede a 36th consecutive night of demonstrations through the streets of Montreal.

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